The seeds of the group working for the strengthening and coordination of local organizations were planted after the World Humanitarian Aid Summit in 2016. The group, which became official in 2020 with the initiative of the Support to Life Association, is supported by the Human Resource Development Foundation (IKGV) and the Civil Society Development Center (STGM) within the scope of the 'Civil Society Capacity Building Project'. To reach the secretariat, you can contact to [email protected].

What is Localization?

In the context of humanitarian aid, localization can be defined as 'strengthening the local community to meet the needs of disaster-affected communities in the most effective, efficient and principled way'.

Local empowerment refers to supporting the capacities of both local actors (NGOs, public/local government), and affected individuals and communities. Localization acknowledges that effectiveness and efficiency in humanitarian aid work are possible with the change of power balances. Effective participation of local actors in decision mechanisms regarding policy and implementation in humanitarian aid can be ensured by transferring more resources to the local area, especially in the financial field.

Localization entered the humanitarian agenda for the first time at the Humanitarian Aid Summit, which was held in Istanbul for the first time in May 2016. At the meeting where NGOs, UN agencies, academia, public institutions, private sector and political people came together, localization was the most accepted solution proposal put forward to improve the existing flaws of the humanitarian aid system. At the summit, localization commitments were signed with the 'Grand Bargain' agreement, which is translated into Turkish as the 'Great Compromise'. Global and regional networks that were subsequently established began to follow these commitments, which would make humanitarian aid more local and less bureaucratic.

with the Grand Bargain;

• greater transparency in the humanitarian chain,
• transferring global funds to local actors,
• investment in the leadership and capacities of local stakeholders,
• stretching donor rules on access to grants,
• reducing the reporting burden,
• long-term (multi-year) granting of funds,
• It was aimed to increase the contract aid programs.

To date, 63 institutions, including donors, UN agencies and international NGOs, have signed the agreement.